Doll stand



23,` 1952 D {PPQLlTO 2,622,835

DOLL STAND Filed Oct. 6. 1950 Gttorneg Patented Dec. 23, 1952 UNITED STATES B'ENT OFFICE DOLL STAND Domenick Ippolito, Glendale, Calif.

Application October 6, 1950, Seriai No. 188,741

(Cl. 2ML-346) 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to a doll stand adapted to maintain a `doll in an upright position.

Dolls are often dressed so as to represent different nationalities and as such become collectors items. Dolls are best exhibited when they are maintained standing without disturbing the clothing.

The device of the invention is of a type which engages the feet of the doll for holding the doll without the doll tipping or falling.

Various means have heretofore been provided for supporting a doll, butin every instance, so vfar as the inventor is aware, the support is usually within a box which holds the doll or constitutes a type of support that is difficult to place in a position to engage the doll and is generally unstable and musses the dolls clothes.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a doll stand which is simple of construction, easily operated, sightly in appearance, will not mar the doll legs or feet, will maintain a doll in an upright position, has stability, and is of ornamental appearance.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the specification proceeds.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the stand of the invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view on the line 2--2 of Figure 1 and showing one of the dolls legs in position on said stand;

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, certain parts of the doll stand being in changed relationship;

Figure 4 is a bottom view of the stand looking in the direction of the arrow 4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view on the line 5 5 of Figures 1 and 4; and

Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line 5 6 of Figure 4.

Referring now with particularity to the drawing, the doll stand includes a base I provided with a movable part or slide 2. The base has a flat top surface 3, upon which the slide 2 is movable, and a raised portion 4. As shown in Figure 5, the top surface 5 of the raised portion 4 lies in the same plane as the top surface Ii of the slide 2.

I have utilized a hollow construction for both the base and the slide primarily for the purpose of conserving material as well as lightening the stand. Thus, the raised portion 4 is shown as hollow in the several figures and stiffened by means of webs 'I, 8, 9 and I0. The raised portion 4 is formed with a slot between the top surface and the base top 3 as shown best in Figures 2 and 3 at vI I.. The slot may be divided into two portions or it may be a single slot, although in the present instance the slot is divided by a wall I2 which is positioned between the two webs 'I and yE5 and extends to the top portion of part Ll. The base I is longitudinally slotted at I3, I4 and i5, the slots I3 and Iii lying outside the Webs 9 a-nd it), while the slot it is intermediate said webs. In the present instance, the heel portion I6 of the base .is curved on a radius while the front wall of said base is straight at II and curved at the corners at I8 and i9, the corners merging with straight sides 2! and 125.. This construction adds to the ornamental appearance of the stand. .I do not wish to limit the invention to any particular coniigurtion of stand, as the present stand is stable and supports a doll without tipping.

The slide V2 has a curved wall .portion 2,2, the radius of curvature being the same as the curvature at I6 for the base, and which portion 22 connects with walls 23 and 2d, which walls face toward the slot II of the base. In other words. the slide is substantially semi-circumferential in plan, although the forwardly facing walls 23 and 24 are divergently related, using the center of the slide as a reference point. Intermediate the Walls 23 and 24 is a radial extension 25, the radial extension terminating in a transverse wall 26. The extension is formed by a pair of walls which extend beneath the top of the slide and join the curved wall 22 as shown in Figure 6 at 2'I and 28. Such a construction acts to brace the slide and likewise acts as a channel for the reception of a coil spring 29. The base is provided with a stud 3f! adapted to enter the channel formed between the walls 2l and 28, said stud adapted to engage one end of the spring 29 as shown in Figure 5. The slide is provided on its undersurface with a pair of drilled posts 3i and 32, see Figure 6, which posts are adapted to receive headed pins 33. The headed pins 33 are adapted to have the shank portions thereof passed through the longitudinal slots I3 and I5, the heads overlying the undersurface of the base for the purpose of holding the slide in engagement with the base,

Each front wall 23 and 24 of the slide has an inclination at 3:3 and 35, the inclinations being divergently related from a line 36.

The operation, uses and advantages of the doll stand are as follows:

Assemblage of the stand is comparatively simple as the coil spring 29 may be placed within the groove or channel provided therefor in the slide by first assembling the slide upon the base, securing the two parts together by means of the pins 33, followed by insertion of the spring 29 into said channel by passing the same through slot I4. This will permit one end of the spring to engage the wall 26 of the slide, while the opposite end thereof engages the stud 30 of the base. As a result, movement of the slide is restrained although the same may be moved in accordance with the lengths of the slots I3 and l5. Such movement of the slide relative to the base opens the gap which is included between the slot Il of the base and the walls 23 and 24 of the slide. Assuming that the slide and base have been separated in the manner shown in Figure 3, the feet as shown for one foot of a doll at 31 are so placed as to straddle the radial extension 25 of the slide with the heel portion of each foot bearing against a, wall 35 of the slide. Upon releasing the slide, the spring 29 urges the slide forwardly to move the toe ends of both feet through the slot or slots l l in the manner shown in Figure 2. The overhanging portion of top 4 which extends beyond the web 'l engages the arch of each foot and thus clamps the foot against the top 3 of the base. In other words, the foot is held securely by the walls 35 and by the overhanging portion of the portion 4. This prevents the doll from tipping laterally, forwardly, or backwardly, and thus maintains the stability of the doll.

A stand of this character may be conveniently formed from a plastic at a minimum of expense, the stand is slightly in appearance although it is readily hidden by the dolls costume, if the doll is wearing a long dress. Stands of this character may be purchased at a minimum of cost and the various dolls which may form collectors items may be placed in a suitable viewing compartment, or placed upon shelves and exhibited to best advantage.

I claim:

1. A doll stand including a base member formed with a flat surface having a width and length suflicient to allow the soles of both feet of a doll to stand thereon, said base formed with a transverse overlap portion along one edge thereof and positioned above said flat surface, the said overlap portion adapted to engage the arches of the dolls feet, a slide extending the transverse width of the base member, and means between the slide and base member lurging said slide into engagement with the heels of the dolls feet.

2. The device as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that: the slide has a transverse Wall of a height equal to the height of the transverse overlap portion for the base, the said transverse wall of the slide being undercut to conform to the outline of the heels of the dolls feet.

3. A doll stand as set forth in claim 1 characterized in that: the slide is formed with a pair of divergently related Walls, which walls are undercut and face the overlap portion of the base, the undercut portions of said walls of the slide conforming with the outline of the heels of the dolls feet, and the divergently related walls tending at all times to separate the feet to thereby stabilize the doll when the arches of the feet are in engagement with the overlap portion of the base.

DOMENICK PPOLITO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of recordin the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 292,648 Hayman Jan. 29, 1884 1,049,974 Bailie Jan. 7, 1913 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 247,693 Great Britain Feb. 25, 1926 

